Moonlight in Paradise
by FantasyBard
Summary: When Josef's family comes together for a family reunion, an assassination attempt will force our favorite vampires into the path of the Five 0 team. When evidence comes to a light of a long-established vampire crime ring on the islands, the lines between night and day is thin indeed, and is sometimes drawn only in blood.
1. Ohana

**Hello, my faithful Moonlight writers. Again, I thank you all for your patience in putting together this story. It has gone through some major rewrites, and hopefully, it will turn out to be much better than the original. **

**I should warn people that this is somewhat different from my first idea, and I am still working out all the logistics. I have to admit that I don't have every single plot thought out, so sometimes updates will be infrequent as I wait for the muse to inspire me. But, please do not fear. I will be working on this story; it will just be a long term project. **

**Again, the one piece of AU in my universe is that Chin Ho's wife was rescued by Sophia Richter, and is still alive and well (call me a hopeless romantic, but I love happy endings). Hopefully, everything else will be explained in story. **

**Now, that is out of the way, here are the usual disclaimers and rating. **

**Disclaimer: Moonlight and Hawaii Five 0 are owned by CBS, and they were created by the actors and writers of their respective series. I own absolutely nothing. I only take away from it the satisfaction of a creative venture. **

**This story is rated T for scenes of violence (including assassination, slavery, and non-consensual blood drinking) and sex. **

**Moonlight Over Paradise: **

**A family reunion is under way in the islands. When Frederich's family comes together for the first time in over one hundred years, it seems as though there is nothing that will be able to disrupt their idyll. They are about to be proven wrong. **

**An assassination attempt upon the life of Josef's sister and Elder of the Hawaiian islands will thrust our vampire heroes directly into the path of the Islands' elite police force, Five 0. Ignorant of the existence of the supernatural, they will begin to suspect that there is more to the matter than first meets the eye, unknowingly putting themselves at risk from the darker forces of those who live by night. **

**As two opposing forces hurtle headlong towards a collision, secrets start to come uncovered of a long established vampire crime ring that has been operating on Hawaii for decades. Vampire and human are both about to learn that the line between family and enemy, night and day is very thin indeed, and is sometimes only drawn in blood. **

Ohana:

Hawaii. The very name is enough to conjure up images of sun-drenched beaches, crystal-clear blue waters and swaying palm tress to the tone of the crashing waves and wind. With near perfect temperatures all year around and an abundance of attractions for every age set, it was perhaps inevitable that Hawaii was a popular destination, no matter what the time of year.

In Hawaii, ohana or family, was, in many ways, more important than anything else. Even as the younger generations embraced the future, the Kahunas of older generations still strove to teach them the traditions of the past. On this particular night, at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort and Spa, two very different families were sharing celebration.

One thing could be said of these families: they were not joined by common ties. One shared bonds of blood which had been forged at the moment of death, and had lasted for centuries. The other composed numerous individuals of various disparate backgrounds, who had been literally thrown together, been through hell and back more times than they could remember, and out of their experiences, had formed close knit ties which, despite all the bickering of two of it's members, nothing could ever break.

One family was vampire. One family was Five 0. And on this night, they just happened to be in the same place, at the same time, celebrating for the same reason.

Family reunions are always a subject that can inspire very strong feelings, though whether such feelings are those of dread or joy is always a matter of opinion. For the turned family of Frederich Braun, the prospect of this family reunion was a mix of nervousness, anticipation and excitement. It had been the first time that they had come together in decades. They all had their own little idiosynchorcies (living for centuries did tend to make one a little eccentric, and perhaps they had a right to it), so having them all in the same room together would be an interesting mix to say the least.

Fortunately, whatever nervousness their might have been about how all they may have gotten along soon vanished about an hour into the first introductions. An added bonus might have been that they all came around the different times. Karlie had arrived about a week before to supervise a photoshoot for one of her stores located in the Ala Moana Shopping Center. It just so happened that her primary make-up consultant was Sophia Richter, Josef's older sister. Karlie had already met Maggie, and so far, they gotten along rather well.

The day before, the crowd from what Sophia affectionately termed the "Old World" had arrived, meaning Frederich himself, along with his two youngest sons, Ian and Eric Steele. Eric had also brought along his lady, a human woman by the name of Hannah Morris.

The last to come to the tropical paradise had arrived from Los Angeles. Josef Koston, Mick St. John and Beth Turner had flown in only a few hours before the start of this informal get together, the first event of the two week reunion.

So, to say it was a varied gathering would have been something of an understatement. However, instead of descending into chaos, the general mode of this first evening was one of curiosity and humor.

For Beth and Mick, the visit to Hawaii had its own personal connection. Mick had confided to Beth on the flight over that his sister's family had settled in Hawaii during the late 1930's. His sister, Mary St. John had met and married a Captain in the Navy named Steve MgGarrett. They had had one son, named John MgGarrett. Steve had died in the attack on Pearl Harbor; however, since he had been turned into a vampire, Mick had been forced to sever all ties with his family. He was hoping to be able to track down what had happened to his sister's family. He knew that he would never be able to actually get back in contact, but he at least wanted to know what happened to them.

Karlie took the opportunity to take to make the acquaintance of Hannah. This was at the personal request of Frederich, who had wanted both Josef and Karlie to look into Hannah and Eric. He was beginning to suspect that the two of them were Bonded.

Ian and Eric had already given their approval to the human boyfriend of their sister Maggie, Max Bergman. The two had met at the hospital, where they both worked as ME's. According to the story that Max told, they had developed a relationship over dissecting various body parts in the middle of the night and sharing entire conversations of medical terminology that only the two of them would have understood. But it wasn't that topic which captured Ian and Eric's attention: it was the fact that Max happened to be a science fiction geek. The two vampires had been fans of Star Trek ever since the first episode had aired in the 1960's. And they had seen every single episode of every single series, to say nothing of the movies which had come out over the years.

While all this activity was going on, Frederich, Josef, and Sophia were watching with what could only be called satisfaction. "I think your little idea of getting the entire family together is shaping up quite well." said Sophia.

"Yes, I think so." said Frederich, with no real attempt at modesty. "It's good to see that the family can still get together without killing each other."

"Is that why you wanted us to be together?" asked Sophia, "To see if we would all be at each other's throats within a few hours?"

"Some of the best advice of leadership, my dear, is to keep your friends close, your enemies closer, and your family closest of all. The family especially as it might contain both enemy and friend in equal measure."

"Really? I don't recall reading anything like that philosophy." Said Josef.

"Well, you wouldn't, Josef, I simply made it up."

Sophia laughed. "Frederich, you're impossible."

"Thank you, my dear. Another good thing to remember about being a good leader."

"So, you want me to end up like Josef." Said Sophia, looking at Josef with a raised eyebrow.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" said Josef, who looked offended.

"You know perfectly well, Josef. I am not going to end up being an Elder like you."

"Is that supposed to be some sort of insult? Need I remind you that I have been and Elder longer than you have?"

"But, I'm older than you are, that makes me wiser."

"You're only five decades older than me. That's nothing. Frederich, who do you think will make the better Elder?"

"Oh no, you are not going to papa with this."

Exchanges of this type were nothing particularly new to Frederich. Josef and Sophia had a sibling rivalry. They were always comparing themselves, in terms of accomplishments, lifestyles and what it meant to be a vampire. The two of them could not have been more different in their views. Sometimes, they could resemble two teenagers more than centuries old vampires. It was all in good fun and respect, of course. Frederich liked to think of it as letting off steam.

However, the ears of vampires are incredibly sensitive; Frederich had been discretely keeping taps on all of the conversations going on around him. However, another sound suddenly entered the mix which he had not at all been expecting. The sound of a woman's laughter, floating on the air like a distant bell, followed by a flute-like voice that seemed to sing every word it said. He was so caught up in the sound, he didn't even know if he could say exactly what the words had been.

Like so many men before him, it had not been the sight of Constanza Ferrara that had bewitched him, it had been her voice.

Both Josef and Sophia rather quickly noticed that Frederich was no longer paying attention to them. After all, what fun is sibling rivalry, without an audience to perform to? However, they were both puzzled by the somewhat dazzled expression on his face, which they were both certain had not been there a moment before.

"Uh, Frederich, you all right?" Josef asked.

"Who is that charming creature?"

Both Sophia and Josef looked in the direction that Frederich was gazing, only to see a vampire woman with raven black hair and blue eyes being warmly greeted by Karlie. "You mean, Constanza?" said Josef.

"Constanza," Frederich repeated, and he almost appeared to be savoring the name. "You know her and you have been so remiss in your manners as to not introduce me."

Both Sophia and Josef smiled at Frederich, before turning to look at each other in bemusement. They could both hear that the cadence and rhythm of Frederich's speech had changed to that of a courtier from a time long past. They had no idea how the new arrival of Constanza could have so strongly affected their sire.

"Well, besides the fact that you two have never been in the same room, how could I introduce you?"

"Well, we'll just have to rectify that now, won't we?" Frederich didn't even wait for them to respond, but moved past them determinedly towards Constanza and Karlie. Josef and Sophia looked at each other again, wondering if something had happened in the last five minutes to turn their sire into a raving lunatic, before following after them.

Karlie and Constanza had been talking about the logistics of the last few days of the photo shoot, when the threesome came up to them. "Oh, Frederich, there you are." Said Karlie, with a brilliant smile. "I've been looking for you. This is Constanza Ferrara. I told you that she would be joining us for the next couple weeks. Constanza, this is…"

"Frederich Braun." Said Frederich, who didn't seem to want anyone else to speak his name to Constanza except for himself. He held out his hand to Constanza, who took it with a grateful air.

"Mr. Braun, thank you for allowing me to share in this celebration with your family. I-"

She was momentarily struck speechless, when, instead of simply shaking her hand, he lifted her it to his lips and kissed it with all the romance of an old courtier.

"Please, Signora Ferrara, it must be Frederich with you. I've never been one to stand on ceremony, especially with one as elegant as yourself."

Constanza stared at Frederich (as did Karlie, though hardly for the same reason). "I-thank you, Frederich. I know that I'm not officially a member of your family, but Karlie's invitation was so gracious, I couldn't refuse."

"Karlie and Josef have told me nothing but the best about you, Signora Ferrara, and I trust their judgments. Though, I must say that you, in reality, are far exceeding my expectations."

"Oh, thank you, and please call me Constanza." said Constanza.

"Constanza, lovely name. Thank you. Tell me, have you ever been to the islands?"

"No, I haven't."

"In that case, if you would allow me, I would like to offer my services as your guide and escort for the remainder of your stay?"

It had been a long time since Constanza had been addressed in this manner. It reminded her of the times in centuries past when she had occupied the center of the most glimmering social circles of France and Italy. Men had paid what could only be called exorbitant amounts simply for the privilege of speaking with her, to say nothing of a night. However, no man had ever been quite like this one. And she would be lying if she did not say that she liked it.

Neither of them had said anything to the others in the little group. For their part, they really didn't know what to do. How was one supposed to start or maintain a conversation when two of the oldest vampires in the room seemed to be completely absorbed in each other?

"I would love that. I am sure that you have a great deal of knowledge of these islands."

"Oh, I do, I am proud to say. They are quite possibly, my favorite place in the United States. I do not get here as often as I would like, but I try to keep updated on everything that happens here."

Frederich had offered his arm to Constanza and she had taken it with all the practiced grace of a lady. They then seemed to wander off, without any sort of farewell, speaking of the beauty of the islands that they had encountered thus far. This left Josef, Karlie, and Sophia alone to exchange confused and slight amused expressions.

"Well, that was certainly interesting." Said Karlie, after a moment.

"Did we just witness what I think we were witnessing?" said Josef, "Did Frederich really just make a move on Constanza?"

"Yes, I think we just saw that." said Sophia, "That's got to be the first time that I have seen him do that in centuries, and certainly not since Agathe died."

"I can't really decide if I am disturbed by that." said Josef.

"Josef, behave." Said Karlie, "I, personally, think that it is a good thing. From what I know, Frederich has been alone for quite awhile. I think that this will be good for him."

"Hey, don't get me wrong." Said Josef, "I'm thrilled. But it's still disturbing to think about my sire in a romantic relationship with anyone. Besides, it will be interesting to see if it ends up as nothing more than an island romance or into something more permanent."

"Don't sell any idea of permanence short, Josef." Said Sophia, with a smile, "If there is anything I can say about the islands, it is that they have a way of inspiring romance and making it last in the most unexpected of ways."

* * *

It was a common occurrence after a big case to find the Five 0 team celebrating in the midst of the Hilton's restaurant. In this particular instance, it was the closing of a case that involved drug runners from a Mexican cartel stationed on the islands. The case had ended in the entire operation being shut down and all of the primary lords being arrested and sent to prison. It had been a satisfying piece of work and one that had called for celebration.

Danny, Steve and Kono were already there by the time Chin and Malia showed up. "Oh, there are Chin and Malia." Said Steve, waving over the two of them to the table.

"Hi guys, sorry we're a little late." Said Chin, as they came over and sat down at the table.

"It's my fault, really." Said Malia, "I couldn't seem to leave the bathroom. You know the female propensity for making themselves ready."

Well, you haven't missed much." Said Kono, "Steve here was telling me about how he saved Danny's life when one of the suspects fled the scene and he had to run him down a block just to get him."

"Kono, it was just a few blocks, while I might add, had me climbing over fences and leaping over parked cars."

"Oh, right. And there were at least two people that you had to avoid."

"There were four. Were you even listening?"

"Oh, gee," said Kono, with an innocent smile, "I must have let my attention drift. Come on, Steve, all your stories like this are exactly the same and exaggerated to boot."

"I do not exaggerate." Steve protests.

"Oh, yes, you do." Said Danny,"Its part of your seal training, I'm positive: How to Blow Things Out of Proportion 101."

"Steve's not the only one who's guilty Danny." Said Chin, "I seem to remember you telling me the almost exact same story, only you were the one saving Steve."

"I suppose that you men are never going to change." Said Kono.

"Don't even try to do it, sister. Said Malia.

Steve and Danny appeared properly embarrass for the moment. It was all in good fun, of course. Steve and Danny both seemed to excel at pushing each other's buttons. If they didn't have at least two or three fights every day about issues that were admittedly mediocre in nature, both Kono and Chin were convinced that they would both probably die of boredom.

They ordered food, and Kono couldn't help but observe, "Malia, you didn't order the shrimp. That's what you always get when we're here."

"Oh," said Malia, looking slightly taken aback, "I can't eat that right now. It makes me sick. In fact, I can't really eat sea food at all right now. The smell of it makes me sick."

"When did this start happening?" Kono asked, looking a little puzzled.

"Yeah, are you all right?" Asked Steve, "If you've never had a reaction like that before to sea food, you should really see a doctor."

"Oh, don't worry. I saw one a few weeks ago." For some reason, Malia was positively glowing by this point.

Chin was also wearing a huge grin, as he pulled Malia closer and announced with a huge grin, "He said that she would be feeling better, in about nine months."

There was a stunned silence around the table as the total implication of what that statement meant became clear to everyone. Kono was the first to have a reaction. She squealed and threw her arms around Chin in a big hug, before getting up from her chair and running around d to give Malia a hug. "Oh cuz, I'm so happy for you both. That's such great news."

"I've been wondering why you've been going around with that stupidly happy grin plastered on your face these past few weeks," said Steve, as he reached over to shake hands with Chin.

"Congrats, you two." Said Danny, "You'll love fatherhood, Chin. One of the few good things to come out of my marriage was Grace, and I don't regret a minute of it."

"We actually have been talking about it, and we want you to be the godmother, Kono." Said Malia.

"I would be honored." Said Kono

"I'm afraid you two will have to fight over who gets to be the godfather." Said Chin.

"Oh, that's easy." Said Steve, "It should be me." He saw that Danny was staring at him in disbelief. "What?"

"That's one of the worst ideas I've ever heard you come up with."

"Why?"

"Because you have no experience with kids." Said Danny, "You don't know how to act around them."

"Okay, remind me again who saved Grace's best friend from a psycho killer during that Girl Scout trip into the rainforest?"

"May I remind you that I was the one who had to stay behind so I could take care of the rest of them?"

"Guys," interrupted Malia, "I hate to tell you this, but Chin and I were going to be asking one of my relatives to be godfather."

Steve and Danny looked at Chin, "If you already knew that, Chin, why did you even bring it up?" Asked Steve.

"Why should I miss out on such a great opportunity for you to give us a show?" Asked Chin with a grin.

There was general laughter all around at this statement, even from Steve and Danny. They then settled down for a night of celebration.

These two very different families thus continued their celebrations cherishing the gift of ohana. But they had no idea of the dark forces on the island, who would not think twice about tearing them to pieces. They could not know that between the worlds which inhabited, they would soon be facing a collision where all the rules and boundaries became questionable, and nothing was as it seemed.

* * *

**So, what do you think? Like it? Hate it? As I said, this is sort of a work in progress, and I might be making up some parts as I go along. The updates might not be as frequent because of that. I hope that you will all be patient with me, and hopefully, this will turn out into a pretty good story. **

**I also have to say that updates may not be as frequent due to an exciting change that is upcoming in my life: I will soon be working full time at Walt Disney World. It has been a dream of mine to work there for years, and I am so excited to make it come true. That being said, I have to move down there, get everything in order, be trained and work full time. So, the first few months might be a little hectic. Once I get into a routine, though, I should be able to focus some attention on writing. **

**Again, thank you all for your support and reviews. I can't wait to go on a new adventure with our favorite vampires and Five 0 team in the islands of paradise. **


	2. Day One

**Thank you for everyone's patience given the length of updates. As I said in my introductory notes, this is kind of a long term project for me, and the updates might be coming less frequently than some of my other work. However, after moving to a new state and starting a new job, I didn't have much time for writing anyway. I hope that when the chapters do come out, they will be worth the wait. For right now, please enjoy this chapter, dealing with some of the events of the first day for our favorite vamps on Hawaii. It contains a little bit of romance, a little bit of bonding, and a touch of suspense. Enjoy!**

Day One:

The first day of the family reunion was set to dawn clear and beautiful over the island of Hawaii. That worked out perfectly for Mick and Beth's plans. Ever since they had been invited, the first thing that they had wanted to do was to see dawn over Waikiki on the top of Diamond Head Crater.

Diamond Head Crater was the remnant of a long extinct volcano that towered over the beaches of Honolulu and Waikiki. It was a popular tourist attraction, as it offered stunning views of the surrounding area, especially at the hour of sunrise. Though the hike to the summit wasn't the most difficult trail that could be found on the island, it was a hike along unpaved, steep roads and two flights of steps. However, the views that one received when they got to the top made all the sweating and panting well worth it.

Fortunately, if one happened to be a vampire and possessed superior stamina, the challenges which the trail presented were minimal at best. With the proper hydration and avoiding the heat of the afternoon, they would be fine/

However, little could Beth have known that Mick had something very special planed for her when they reached the summit.

In the early hours of the morning, they hiked up the path, to the top of the Crater. They did not have to wait long for the first rays of dawn to begin streaking the eastern sky. As the sun rose, it painted a dramatic palette of colors across the sky and sea. The sea soon turned into a deeply rich molten gold, which constantly danced and shimmered with the rolling waves. The clouds that were rolling across the sky varied in their colors from a light, dusty pink to dark purples bad blues. The sky itself was an endless sheet of blue. Below them, the skyline of Waikiki reflected this brilliant spectacle of nature in their windows. It seemed as though, in one moment, the natural and the man made had become fused into a perfect whole.

"Oh, Mick, it's beautiful." Said Beth, in awe of the scene that was spread out before them.

"Not nearly so beautiful as you." said Mick. He was sometime struck breathless at just how beautiful Beth was. She was practically glowing in the light of the rising sun, her skin and hair turned golden. She resembled an earth bound angel, an angel who had landed in his path, and been his savior in more ways than he ever would have been able to count. If he had had any doubts on what he was about to do, standing with her now in this moment, removed all of them forever.

"I actually couldn't have asked for a better setting."

Beth turned away from the view to look at him in puzzlement, clearly having no idea of what was about to happen. "A better setting for what?"

"For this, actually." Beth's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open in complete shock when Mick got down on one knee. He took her hands in his, and looked up into her eyes with an expression of unspeakable love and tenderness. "Beth Turner, I love you. I have loved you ever since I saw you walking barefoot through that freezing fountain at 2:00 in the morning, to take a picture of a body without so much as flinching. I didn't want to admit it, than. And sometimes, I am still stunned that you stuck with me through all of the crap which I put you through. But you stood by me. You opened my eyes to the fact that I am more than what my biology has made me become. You helped me to trust again. You made me live again. All I was able to give in return was my love, which will never be enough to repay you for everything you have done for me. But if you would be willing to spend eternity with me, I will spend every night and every day trying to make myself worthy of you."

Beth was already crying by this point, though they were entirely tears of joy. The love in Mick's eyes took her breath away. The emotions his words stirred were so deep and strong that they overwhelmed her. Mick withdrew a small box from his pocket. He opened it, and inside was a ring made of silver gold, with a perfectly formed pink pearl as its centerpiece, offset by four tiny, but exquisitely cut diamonds. Mick had opted for the design as he felt that it captured Beth's personality perfectly: she was so gentle and caring, but at the same time tough and resourceful, not to mention stubborn. After all, pearls are only formed through constant irritation and persistence.

"Beth Turner, I would be honored if you would become my wife. Will you marry me?"

"Yes, yes, of course I will." Said Beth, without any hesitation, joy flooding through her.

Mick smiled, that wonderful carefree smile of his that had once been such a rarity. He put the ring on her finger. Then, rising to his feet, he took Beth in his arms and kissed her deeply. It was a perfect moment. It didn't really matter if the rest of the vacation went terribly. This first day, it was quite possibly the best morning of their lives.

* * *

At the Hilton, the family group under the name of Frederich Braun, was settling in. Maggie and her boyfriend, Max, were showing Hannah, Eric and Ian some of the better known surfing spots on the islands. Karlie, Sophia and Constanza were going to be occupied with the last few days of the photo shoot. This pretty much left Frederich and Josef to their own devices.

They were strolling along the Duke Kahanamoku Beach that was in front of the Hilton Village in the late afternoon, when Josef asked him, "I don't suppose that you've noticed that Beth and Mick got back from Diamond Head this morning, both of them with big smiles on their faces? I'm sure that there's some sort of story there. Whenever Mick seems that happy, it means that something this is up."

Frederich shrugged. "I can't say that I have seen them since last night." He paused to consider this, "I wonder if that is part of the secret?"

"Of course." Said Josef, "I assume that he'll be telling us eventually, but that won't stop me from trying to find out before than."

"No doubt. You never could let a secret lie until its proper time to be revealed. Speaking of secrets, have either you or Karlie been able to find out anything about Hannah or Eric?"

"Karlie managed to talk to her last night." Said Josef, "From what she told me, there might be a good chance of it. I need to speak with Eric myself, and then we'll compare notes before talking to them both about it."

"Good." Said Frederich, "From what Eric has been telling me, the situation between them has been quite overwhelming at times."

"It can be, especially for those who don't know what's going on. I know it was for me and Karlie. Damn, those were good times."

"Yes, I can assume that they were. It's a pity that the two of you don't have a more active sex life, Josef. It really worries me sometimes."

Josef looked over at Frederich and smirked. "You probably shouldn't be worrying about me, Frederich. You should start worrying about yourself."

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, I think you know, Frederich. Just when you are going to tell me more about Constanza?" asked Josef, "Do I want to ask you what happened between the two of you last night?"

Frederich glanced over at him, with an ironic smile. "Tell me, Josef, when did you become the sire that you should worry about me?"

"I'm just wondering if I should start preparing for a big lavish wedding is all. The way you two were staring at each other all dewy eyed last night, I felt sure that you would be popping the question before dawn."

"Oh, Josef, credit me with some sense after being alive for over 600 years. Not everyone is as lucky as you or Eric to find true love with a single glance. I am not in love with Constanza, not yet at least. What I am, is utterly and completely fascinated by her. Her voice and eyes have bewitched me to a certain degree. Surely you cannot deny that she has her attractions?"

"I would admit it, as long as you never repeated it to Karlie. I'm pretty sure she would behead me. But I'll be honest, I'm surprised. The last time you had anything was with Agathe, and she's been… well, dead for the last 70 years. I thought you had sworn off anyone else."

Frederich smiled, though there was a tinge of pain in it as he remembered the love of a former life that had been so cruelly snatched from him during the Second World War. "Eternity is a very long time to be alone, Josef. Perhaps, it just took me a little longer to realize that than others of our kind. It has been a long time since anyone has touched me so deeply."

"In that case, I certainly hope that you're going to pursuit it." Said Josef, "You're too old to just sit around and let life pass you by. You need to get out and have some fun."

"That is exactly what I intend to do, Josef. I am going to stay by Constanza's side for the duration of this trip, and I am going to court her."

Now it was Josef's turn to raise his eyebrows. "You're going to court her? And what is the end result of that going to be?"

"You know, I really don't know yet. I shall simply let things unfold and see how things go."

* * *

It was a typically fine day on the Hawaiian beaches along the shores of Waikiki. The sun was shining down out of a bright blue shy, while the tropical breezes kept the temperature from becoming to stifling. Along the pristine shore, the photo shoot for the Dashwood store at the Aloa Moana Shopping Center was underway. It had been a fairly successful shot so far, with Karlie making an effort to incorporate traditional design elements into her clothing line, along with utilizing native designers and make-up artists. This was where Sophia had shown up, and Constanza was always in the mood to expand her repertoire for exquisite scarves and hats.

Of course, being vampires in any sort of tropical surrounding meant that they needed to be careful abut how much time they spent in the sun. There was an air-conditioned trailer where the three vampires retreated for short breaks between set ups of all the major shots.

"I am so impressed with how well everything is run on these shoots of yours'." Said Sophia, near the middle of the afternoon. "A lot of the photo shoots I have experienced over the years have rather resembled a root canal without anesthesia."

"People cannot create without feeling comfortable." said Karlie, "It was my philosophy at the start, and it will continue to be so as long as the company is under my control."

"Which is going to be for eternity." Said Constanza, with a smile, "Immortality lends itself very well to long term business goals. Of course, it helps the general mood that you actually allow your models and photographers time to actually eat."

"Yes, I have heard rave reviews about the food, Sophia. You must be sure to introduce me to the man who did the catering."

"Kamekono will be thrilled to hear that." Said Sophia, "He is always on the lookout for repeat business. He is actually quite a great friend to the vampire community on this island, along with his family. His cousin runs the main freshie company on the island. They actually hired a few of the models."

Karlie shook her head in wonderment. "I still have a little trouble comprehending just how you do things on these islands. You actually work with large groups of people who know of our existence, Sophia. And you have no problems. If that were suggested to Josef, I think he would have a stroke."

"I daresay that my brother finds my methods questionable. He is afraid it could one day blow up in my face. However, we do things differently on the islands. We must. The islands are so small, and communities so close knit that people are bound to find out some things, and it is not so many as Josef probably thinks for the most part, we stay out of each other's ways. They have their ways of life and we have ours'. There are of course, tensions. Some of the gang activity in the islands can be traced back to the two groups, but that is the duty of the Elder to work out. It is why some Elders do not last to long. The

previous one decided after a hundred years that he couldn't take the pressure, retired and moved to Greenland."

"Well, here's hoping that you are up to the challenge." Said Karlie, "Though from what I have seen, Josef has nothing to worry about. And it seems that Josef isn't the only one who will be encountering new things on his trip to the islands, wouldn't you agree, Constanza."

If Constanza had been human, she would have already been pushing bright pink. "I have no idea what you mean."

"Oh, I think you do." Said Sophia, "We all saw you and Frederich chatting up almost the entire evening. You seemed quite taken with each other. You even left the room together."

"Well, I suppose that we did." Said Constanza, "He is quite charming, your sire, Sophia. A gentleman, funny and so without airs. He meant every word, every gesture that he said. And I believe that you can understand me when I say I have known a lot of men, of all sorts. I have never encountered anyone like him. However, nothing surprised me then when he escorted me back to my room."

"Oh, what happened?" Said Karlie, almost too eagerly, "Come on, you can't leave us hanging like that."

"That's just it, Karlie. Nothing did happen. He kissed my hand, wished me good night and reiterated his invitation to be my escort for the rest of the time that I was on the islands. And then he left."

"He left?" Questioned Sophia.

"Yes, and he did it in such a manner that I couldn't take it as any sort of slight. I was perfectly expecting him to ask if he could join m for the night and I would have gladly let him. But, I have to see that I have not encountered a reaction such as that from Frederich. It has only happened perhaps one or twice in my entire lifetime."

"My guess, he's trying to get your attention." said Sophia, "I know my sire, and his methods for pushing what he wants are unorthodox, to say the least. The thing that is expected in any situation he will do the exact opposite of. What are you going to do? Snub him the rest of your time in Hawaii, and show him jut how offended you are."

"Oh Sophia, if I was at all interested in wasting my time in such a frivolous manner, I could choose dozens of locales for that. No, Frederich... intrigues me. It has been a long time since any many intrigued me. I think that I shall take him up on his offer of escort. I would like to know more about him."

"Well, I think you have picked a very good challenge." Said Karlie, "I can tell you right now that he is mistakenly going to Gove you a run for your money."

"Well, that is good, as I fully intend to give him exactly the same thing."

They were interrupted by the sound of Sophia's phone ringing. "Oh, I had better take this." Said Sophia, "its Elder business. You know how it is, if you're at home, you're never really off duty."

"I understand." Said Karlie, "Many's the romantic date with Josef has been cut off because some sort of crisis interrupts us."

"I certainly hope that he makes it up to you later." Said Constanza, as the two of them got up to leave the trailer, giving Sophia some privacy.

"Oh, he does, I can assure you." said Karlie with a laugh, before the door closed, leaving Sophia alone.

She answered the phone. "Sis, what's up?"

It was Maggie, and she sounded grim. "Hi, Soph. I'm here at work, and I needed to call you. Another body had turned up."

This caught Sophia's attention. "Another one? That makes three at least this past month."

"I know. The MO is exactly the same: the body was completely drained of blood, with a lot of evidence of former bite marks that haven't been given time to properly heal yet. Those marks were in a lot of, very private areas."

Sophia had to stifle a groan. "Don't tell me it appeared to be another slavery victim?"

"I'm afraid so." said Maggie, "Not only is there evidence of rape and forced blood drinking, the smell of fear was still clinging to the body. I couldn't even smell anything definite from her last few seconds of life because she was so terrified I highly doubt that she knew what was going on."

Sophia cursed silently. Whoever these people were, they were getting bolder. The attacks had started about four months before. One, maybe two humans, both male and female would be found every week, all of them showing clear signs as being the victim of blood slavery. At first, Sophia had hoped that it was a small operation, one that she would be able to find and shout down quickly. However, it was becoming evident that that was not the case. There was no evidence as to who was actually behind the blood slavery, as the victims were always found in remote locations, leading Sophia to believe that the vampires behind the operation were to smart to let humans discover the bodies, but smart enough to send her a warning; they knew she on their trail and that she would have to work hard if she wanted to truly stop them.

She had told the Cleaners to be on high alert for suspicious calls to their line, and to inform her of any strange events. The normal anonymity of the Cleaners was suspended in the face of a possible blood slavery ring. Maggie had been pulling double time with her pathology job at the hospital and investigating the bodies of the victims (Sophia had rented an empty warehouse under the name of a dummy corporation for just such a purpose). So far, that had been the only evidence that they had had to go on.

"Where was the body discovered?"

There was a moment of tense silence. Sophia's heart dropped and she knew the answer before Maggie tentatively answered. "Sophia, this body was found trash dump outside of a gas station."

Sophia sucked in a breath, and her eyes went wide with shock. "You mean, humans found her?"

"Yes, I had to get a little finagling in order to get the autopsy; it's the only way that we can prevent more questions being asked than are necessary."

"Damn it, Maggie. There are going to many questions asked regardless of how much damage control we can do. If the police start to get to close, our entire secret could be in danger."

"I know that, Sophia, you don't have to preach the obvious to me. But there's nothing I can do. There's already a police detail on its way to inspect the body."

"All right, all right." Said Sophia, "We must not panic. We have to do the best we can. Do what you can to throw them off the track: lie, falsify records, I don't care what you have to do."

"I already have some idea of what I can tell them." said Maggie. There was a brief pause, before she asked, "Soph, what are going to tell the others?"

"We can't tell them anything, not yet. I don't want this to interfere with the reunion. Besides, it's my responsibility. But this has gone entirely too far. Whoever is behind this, I'm not going to let them get away with it. When I find them, I will not be showing any mercy."

* * *

**That was certainly a lot to take in. Since I am following so many different threads and characters in this story, I might be having longer chapters. I am excited for some of the ideas that I have, though, and I can't wait to share them all with you. I have had an idea for a Frederich/Constanza romance for awhile. And we have a wedding in the works? Who doesn't love a wedding? Mick and Beth are due for their own little ceremony, and of course I have plans for that in this story. **

**And just what is going on with Sophia? Obviously, there is a blood slavery ring in operation on the islands, and it's a lot darker than the one we saw a few years ago in Las Vegas. But what sort of message are they trying to send to Sophia, and why was this body discovered by humans rather than vampires? You can imagine at some point that this will put a little bit of a dint on family celebrating.**

**Please read and review to tell me what you think. **


	3. Case Beginnings

**Again, thanks to everyone's patience when it comes to updates on this story. The muse is slow, but it is steady for this story. My main thing is coming up with time to actually sit down and write it. I always hope that the wait is worth it. **

Case Beginnings:

Sometimes, it seemed that no sooner had Five 0 closed one case than another rolled right in to take its place. Such was the case this week it seemed. Just yesterday, they had been celebrating shutting down a major drug ring on the islands and the announcement of Malia's pregnancy. Today, the first call had been of a young woman who had been raped, murdered and found in a dumpster.

However, this promised to be something more than just a normal crime, no matter how gruesome it was. There were, to quote the first officer son scene, "strange anomalies that couldn't be easily explained." The team didn't yet have a good idea as to what those anomalies were. Danny and Kono had gone to the crime scene, while Steve and Chin had gone to the morgue to try and determine what they could learn.

However, they received their first surprise when they arrived at the morgue and discovered that the ME in charge of the case was not Max but Maggie O'Hara, his girlfriend. It had been something of a surprise to everyone on the team that Max had gotten girlfriend, and one who happened to be just as much of a nerd as him in pretty much everything.

Maggie was becoming a regular fixture with the team, even if they didn't happen to see a lot of her. She always seemed to work the night shift, and they didn't know that much about her family or where she came from. Still, she was nice enough and Max seemed quite smitten with her.

Maggie had assisted with some of Five 0's cases. She was very good at her work, sometimes even able to come up with connections that Max had missed. It was almost as though she could smell something out of the ordinary with a body. Yet, it seemed slightly odd to the two of them that she had been assigned this particular case.

"You think that she might have noticed something unusual with the body?" Steve mused, "The last time she helped us, she was able to pick put the signs of a human trafficking ring."

"Maybe." said Chin, "But that would raise a lot of questions, if this case does lead back to human trafficking,"

"Yeah, most operations don't want to be so conspicuous as actually killing their merchandise."

They were just approaching Maggie's office when their conversation was interrupted by the sound of two raised voices in argument. They belonged in Max and Maggie. Both Steve and Chin turned to look at each other in slight surprise. They had never heard Maggie or Max argue before. Indeed, before that moment, they had been a rather lovely dovey couple. However, it was quite obvious that something had happened which made them both very upset. They couldn't hear what was being said, and they tried not to. After all, it wasn't technically their business.

A few seconds later, Max stormed out of the office. He even slammed the door, which was completely out of character for him. However, judging by the rather livid expression on his face, it seemed that he was feeling a lot of things that were out of character. He didn't even see them, as he stalked in the other direction to his own office.

Steve and Chin looked at each other. "You think we should risk going in?" Steve questioned.

"Well, we don't have much choice. Just try not to mention it. You know how touchy Max can be with his personal life."

The two of them entered the office, and were met by Maggie. "Commander, Lieutenant, thank you for coming." She seemed to pause and consider them for a moment, before saying, "I'm sorry if you overheard any of the argument that I had with Max."

Steve and Chin looked at each other in slight surprise. If Max hadn't acknowledged their presence, they had naturally assumed that Maggie would not have known that they were outside. "Uh, well, we didn't hear anything specific." said Steve, "Is everything all right between you?"

Maggie tried to smile in reassurance, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "It's just a personal disagreement. I'm afraid there's nothing you can really do, Commander. But I appreciate the offer."

They could see that Maggie was done on the subject, so they quickly transferred their attention to the matter at hand. Maggie les them into the examination room, where the woman was lying on the table. She was young, most likely no more than 21 or 22. She might have been pretty at one time, with her long blond hair, shapely body and pale skin. But her looks had been marred by the scars and bruises which covered her body. Her face was disfigured by the terrible beating which she had been dealt. Even in death, there seemed to be a lingering aura of terror and pain over her corpse. It was clear that the woman had died in the midst of a living nightmare.

However, Chin also noticed something else as he looked over the body, something that caused the first hint of suspicion to take root in his mind. There were multiple wounds around her neck and along the insides of her wrists. Those stab wounds were identical pairs of puncture wounds, all of them centered on a major artery of the body.

Steve apparently didn't see anything suspicious in those stab wounds. He was already starting to ask his usual questions to Maggie. "Do you have an ID on her yet? We didn't have one on this case when we got it."

"Not yet." said Maggie, "Her prints didn't show up in the system. We're attempting to widen the search. However, whoever she was and whatever happened to her, it's been going on for a long time. I found several traces of blunt force trauma across various areas of her body, all indicative of assault. What's more, she was only given the basics of medical care, essentially only what would have been necessary for her to survive before the next round of abuse." There was clear disgust and loathing in her tone. She had only ever spoken that way when she referred to human trafficking; in her eyes, one of the most evil of all human practices.

Steve seemed to pick up on this. "Maggie, is there any chance that there could be a connection to human trafficking? The injuries and cause of death fit in with what I saw last time I worked a case with you."

Again, there was that slight pause, which only Chin seemed to notice, before she responded. "Perhaps, but most of the human trafficking I have run into have some sort of mark on them signifying ownership, I haven't seen anything like that."

"What about these wounds here?" asked Chin, pointing to the stab wound pairs along her neck and arms. Chin wanted to test this new theory that he would not have admitted to anyone but himself at this point. He wanted to see just much Maggie would be willing to reveal.

"Ah, yes, that's one of the things that they wanted me to mention. This woman wasn't just found murdered. Her entire body was drained of blood."

"What?" said Steve, in disbelief. "How is that possible? Why would anyone even do that?"

"The wounds were all around major artery points." said Maggie, "The right wound in the right place and a person can bleed out in a matter of minutes. As to why, that's not a question that I can answer at this point."

"Still, it seems that they went to a lot of trouble in order to do it." said Chin, trying to push a little deeper, "And it seems a pretty pointless way to kill someone as well. A shot to the head would have done just as well."

"Maybe they were trying to make a point." said Steve.

Chin saw Maggie flinch ever so slightly. He couldn't help but wonder is Steve had inadvertently stepped to close to something that Maggie was trying to hide.

"As I said," said Maggie, somewhat stiffly, "I don't have any answers. I hope to throw some more light on the subject soon."

"All right," said Steve, "Keep in touch with us and let us know if you find anything. We'll do the same."

Maggie promised that she would do so, and the two left her office. "We should check back with the others." said Steve, "If there is even a chance that this thing heads back to human trafficking, I want them to know about it. Right now it's the clearest lead we have."

Chin listened to this without comment. He was too lost in his own thoughts and suspicions. True, they were only suspicions, and most likely they were unfounded, but he still couldn't keep the word vampire from his mind the moment he had seen that body.

Ever since had discerned Sophia Richter's true nature all those months ago, he had told no one the secret of her true identity. He has not even told Malia. The simple reason was that he had not felt a need to. He had naturally assumed that Sophia couldn't be the only vampire in Hawaii, but it was a world that Chin didn't really want to venture into.

Now, though, he found himself wondering if that world just might be encroaching into the human one, and just how much Sophia knew about it.

He didn't like to think that she could know about something like this and knowingly let it happen. But he felt that he needed to be sure. However, he also knew that he needed to proceed with caution. As of yet, he didn't want anyone on Five 0 to suspect what he was doing. Not only was he pretty sure that they wouldn't believe him, he also didn't want them to be put in unnecessary danger. No. This was something he needed to do on his own. He just hoped that he was doing the right thing.

* * *

Had Eric been looking for someone to give him advice about his romantic relationship, he would have to admit that Josef would probably have been the very last vampire he would turn to. He did love his brother, but he also knew what his opinions were when it came to women. Though he was in a perfectly happy relationship with Karlie, and for all that Eric knew, the two had met while she was still human, Josef seemed to delight in always pointing out the difficulties of immortals trying to make their relationships work with mortals. Or, if he wasn't harping on that, he was forever dropping sly insinuations about sex. Both of these trends could not but annoy Eric, considering his own relationship.

So, when Josef had said that he would like to talk to him about the personal matter of his relationship with Hannah, he had been understandably leery. Quite honestly, he had tried very hard to make excuses to get out of it. But Josef had harped on that matter and would not let it go. Plus, Frederich himself had asked him to give Josef a chance. Thusly, it was more or less for Frederich that he was doing this, and he certainly hoped that it would go fast.

As the two of them say in Josef's hotel room, drinking glasses of AB negative for Josef and B positive for Eric, Josef began the conversation with, "So, just how long have you and Hannah known each other?"

"About two years." Said Eric, "We met at the synagogue where we both worship."

"Oh, yes, you always were religiously minded. So was Ian. I never really did understand that myself."

"It helps to center us, Josef. Ian and I find that eternity is rather long if you don't have something to believe in."

"Well, whatever you need to get you through it. Of course, it seems that some of us living life on the edge with our love lives also can add a little bit of spice to eternity."

"Don't, Josef." Said Eric, interrupting him.

"What?" asked Josef, genuinely confused.

"I know that you mean well. But I also know your opinions about vampire/human relationships, but I don't want to hear it. Hannah and I are perfectly happy together. I don't want you trying to tell us that we're doomed because we come from two different worlds."

Josef cast him a look. "Eric, I'm not going to do that."

"You're not?"

"No, I actually want to try and give you some advice about how to work through your relationship. Not because there is anything wrong with it, but it just seems very different from most relationships, even from vampires and humans."

"You noticed?"

"It's a little difficult not too, Eric. When you and Hannah are in the same room together, there is something electric between you two which is palpable. I have to admit, it surprised me. You always were a little shy around women."

Eric couldn't really deny this, as they both knew that it was true. Eric had had a few women over the decades, but none of them had really stuck with him. "It's different with Hannah." Said Eric, "From the first moment I saw her, I just felt a pull towards her. I wanted to protect her from everything that might try to hurt her. I remember once, when we just started out dating, I went over to her place to pick her up. When she opened the door to let me in, I found out that she had cut her hand while chopping some vegetables in her kitchen. It took ever ounce of my will power not to take her right there and mark her as my own."

From this short description, Josef had pretty much gained all that he needed to know. Eric and Hannah were most certainly Bonded. It was not until recently that Josef had started to look into the scientific reasons behind Bonding amongst vampires. Back in the mid-century, when he had first met Karlie, the technology had not yet been invented that could even scratch that surface. Now, there were resources that could answer some of those questions.

From what his team had been able to learn, the intense connection that occurred with Bonding, could affect the participants differently. For himself, Karlie had made him realize just how lonely his life had become. And in turn, he had given Karlie a confidence in her own abilities and a desire to live her own life that she might not have found before.

Perhaps, with Eric, it had awakened a sort of protective instinct. Eric was the baby of the family. He had always been the one most watched over and protected. This was especially true considering the circumstances in which Frederich had turned Eric. Josef had never asked for the details. But he did know that Eric had been in Germany during the rise of the Nazis, and he had been Jewish. He really didn't need to know anymore. Though there were good reasons for this protection, and Eric himself had never objected to it, every person needs someone that they feel they can be there for. Up until Hannah, Eric had never happened. But, with Hannah, it seemed that Eric had finally found someone that he could protect.

Josef said as much to Eric, and he agreed. "Yeah, it's true. And I never realized how nice that could be. I mean, it feels as though…."

"As though the world finally makes sense where it never did before?" said Josef, "I got that the first moment that I met Karlie, and it's only gotten stronger since. I imagine it's been that way for you, as well."

Eric stared at Josef, clearly surprised. "Yes, it's been exactly like that."

"I also know how confusing it can be for someone who doesn't know what's going on."

At this moment, there was a knock at the door, and a moment later, Karlie walked in. "Ah, hello you two. I smelled you both before I came in. I hope that I'm not interrupting anything."

"No, not at all, sweetheart." Said Josef, happily. "Eric and I were just discussing some matters of the heart, something which I happen to be an expert on."

"Oh, really? Since when?"

"Well, I admit that I've been out of practice the last few weeks, but that's only because you haven't been there to inspire the best in me."

Eric couldn't help but roll his eyes. Josef's expression was an odd mixture of passionate attachment and desire. Karlie had been in Hawaii for nearly two weeks before the family reunions had started, and Josef had been going through what Mick liked to call withdrawal, namely withdrawal from not only Karlie's presence, but also the sex. As Josef always said, everything was about sex. Though he might not have believed that seriously, not being able to have it with the woman he loved on a regular basis could make him cranky.

"You know, I think that I'll take the not so subtle hint and leave before you two start biting each other right in front of me."

"Stick around if you want, Eric. It might give you a few ideas."

"Josef, you promised Frederich that you wouldn't make fun of Eric."

"Hey, it's all right, Karlie." Eric grinned, flashing his fangs for them to see. "I've already got a few tricks that Hannah enjoys." With that, he exited the room, closing the door behind them.

Josef, who had his arms around Karlie's what by this time, watched his brother leave with a raised eyebrow. "You know, I don't think that I want to imagine that image."

"You brought it upon yourself, my dear." Said Karlie, with an indulgent smile. "I assume that his presence here meant that you had your little conversation with him?"

"Yeah, and I think that Frederich's suspicions were more than correct on his part. What did you get out of Hannah last night?"

He was referring to the conversation that Karlie had had with Hannah the previous evening. From the start, Hannah had struck her as being a very tough and self-sufficient woman. She had not been looking for a boyfriend. In fact, right before he had met Eric, she had broken up with a boyfriend, who had proven to be too jealous for her liking.

"As you can probably guess, I was quite done with men." Hannah had told her, "My last boyfriend always expected me to cater to his every whim, and acted like a big pansy when I didn't worship the ground that he walked on. I would have been content to never have a boyfriend again for as long as I lived."

"After what you're describing, I can't say that I blame you." said Karlie, "But what was it about Eric that made you change your mind about all that?"

Hannah's brow furrowed as she considered the question. "At the time, I really couldn't say what it was. We met at the synagogue you know, a very unusual place to meet a vampire, I'm certain. But I saw him across a crowded room one night, and I just… felt drawn to him. It was crazy, I knew. I had never believed in love at first sight. I had to avoid him for two whole weeks. He was actually the first one to make a move and then, it was just a shy hello. But when we did start talking and hanging out, it just started to feel right. I felt like I truly connected with someone for the first time."

"When did you find out that he was a vampire?"

"Oh, I could tell right from the start that Eric was hiding something. He seemed very withdrawn in his habits, he really only came to the synagogue to worship, and even then he always kept in one of the darker corners, as though he were deliberately trying to remain invisible. He also would never eat anything when we went out. He pretended to eat, of course, but I'm a nurse, so I could always tell when he was faking. Even then, I really couldn't put my finger on just what it was he was trying to hide. But then, after we had been going out for about a month, my old boyfriend suddenly attacked us. He had found out that I had gotten over him, and he thought that he could teach me a lesson. I was so frightened for Eric. At the time, I didn't think that he would stand a chance against my old boyfriend.

"I'll never forget what happened next. Eric was suddenly in front of me, and he was vamped out, because the other guy was suddenly terrified. Eric basically did everything to him but kill him. I didn't have to worry about him anymore after that."

"I can imagine that you must have been somewhat frightened by the event, even if you were relieved to be rid of him."

"Yes, I have to admit that I was. I did try to stay away from him. I imagine that if I were actually sane I would, but I just couldn't. I found that with time, I didn't really want too."

Karlie gave Josef a quick run down of what she had learned from her the night before, and Josef nodded. "I got pretty much the same thing from Eric. We should probably get us all together and discuss it somehow. They should at least know what they're going through. I remember how confusing it could be with when we first met." His expression changed at this point to one of

He was advancing on Karlie, like a cat would sneak up on a mouse, if the mouse already knew that it was being hunted and was enjoying it. The smirk on his face was hungry, and it sent shivers of anticipation down her spine. "Are you seeing that you didn't get enough of me last night?" She asked, innocently enough.

"That was hardly enough, Karlie, even for you. Admit it."

Karlie was already up against the wall, and Josef had trapped her by placing one hand on either side of her body. He was already nuzzling up against her neck, inhaling her scent. She tilted her head back to allow him better access. "Hmm, you may be right, my dear. After all, only six hours straight would hardly be enough to slake our need for each other."

"I've always been glad that vampires have increased stamina. I really don't know how humans would be able to do it anyway. Especially after last night, I don't think that I would have the energy to take you right here against the wall right now."

"Only here and now?" asked Karlie, with a slightly downcast expression, as though the idea was repellent to her.

Josef's smirk grew even wider as his fangs appeared and his eyes growing silver. "I don't recall saying that, sweetheart. This is just the beginning, I can promise you. "

Tangling his fingers in her hair, he lowered his head to her neck and was just about to savor that first bite, when a knock was heard at the door.

"Please let me ignore it." Muttered Josef, against Karlie's neck. He had been so close to tasting her again that the idea of having to stop now and be sociable with people (especially the people which he smelled on the other side), was the last thing that he wanted.

"Josef, if you don't, they'll just keep knocking." Karlie managed to gasp out.

Josef growled in frustration. He pushed away from her with a great deal of reluctance, strode to the door and opened the door. "Hello, Beth, Mick. Lovely to see you. Now please go away." He then slammed the door.

"Josef." Hissed Karlie.

"What? It's the quickest way to get rid of them." At Karlie's stern expression, he threw up his hands in surrender and went back to open the door. "Fine, you two can come in."

"Thank you, Josef." Said Mick, as the two of them stepped into the room, "As always your hospitality is astounding."

"Well, excuse me for being rude, but I was just about to have a well deserved sex session with my wife. In a way, you're the rude ones for interrupting us."

Karlie rolled her eyes, and moved over to the mini-bar, which was stocked with different choices of alcohol and blood. "Please, ignore Josef, you two. He can be patient for awhile longer."

Beth actually raised an eyebrow as the two of them came into the room, and she sat down on one of the beds. "In my experience, patience is never something that Josef has done well."

"Hey, I did wait two weeks to see Karlie again, didn't I?" said Josef, who pretended to look offended.

"Yes, and you whined and complained every time I saw you, just so the entire world would know just how much you were suffering." Said Mick, "However, seeing as I'm sure you want some time to yourselves, we'll keep this short and simple. Truth is, we just wanted you to be the first to know."

"First to know what?" said Karlie, "Does this have something to do with that little trip you took out to Diamond Head this morning?"

Mick's face had split into a huge grin, one that was mirrored by Beth. "Yes, it certainly does. But first, I want to ask, Josef, do you think that Frederich would object to adding a wedding to his plans?"

"No, I don't think so. Frederich loves a good chance to party as much as anyone. But who's getting married?"

"Actually," said Mick, "we are."

There was a pause, wherein both Karlie and Josef stared at the two of them in disbelief. However, a smile appeared on Karlie's face, as she said, "Oh, Mick, you didn't?"

"Oh, he did!" said Beth, as she held up her left hand, where the engagement ring that Mick had given her was on her third finger.

"And did you say yes?" Josef asked.

"Josef, of course she said yes. Why do you think she's wearing the ring?" Mick asked.

"Oh, well, you know, maybe some women just take the ring and run. It's been known to happen."

"Darling, if you don't cut with the snark, I will personally stake you and leave you on the bed for the rest of the vacation."

Josef grinned at Karlie suggestively, and raised one eyebrow. "I wouldn't object to that. I just need to know where the stake would be."

Karlie rolled her eyes, and gave Beth a hug. "Oh, Beth, I'm so glad for you. This is absolutely perfect. But how do you plan to put together an entire wedding for the time we're here?"

"We're going to be taking care of that the next few days." Said Beth, her eyes sparkling. "We've already hired a wedding coordinator that they have on staff here at the hotel. Apparently, people do this all this the time. We're going to get married in the Ocean Crystal Chapel that they have here at the Hilton."

"Somehow, considering the romantic that Mick has continually proven himself to be over the years, that doesn't really surprise me." Said Josef, with a genuine smile, as he shook Mick's hand. "In all seriousness, buddy, congratulations. You deserve this after all the self hatred you've been putting yourself through all these decades. Maybe now you'll finally start living."

"I certainly intend to." Said Mick, looking over at Beth with an adoring expression. "You'll be my best man, won't you?"

"And miss the chance to embarrass you with a speech in front of a group of people? No way, Mick. Count me in, I'll be there."

"The two of us are going out to celebrate." Said Beth, "But we wanted to tell you the news before the others hear about it tomorrow."

"Well, go on you two, have some fun." Said Josef, "Sophia was telling me just last night that the islands are a place of romance and happy endings. Looks like your about to start yours."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Said Mick, as the two of waved goodbye and left the room, closing the door behind them.

"Mick has certainly made this a reunion to remember." Said Karlie.

"Yes, he does have that talent of pulling the romantic out of any situation." Said Josef, as he looped his arms around Karlie's waist from behind. "You know, it almost reminds me of our wedding."

Karlie smirked as she turned in his arms to face him, putting her arms around his neck. "Oh, really? Which part? The romance, the thrill of starting out a new life together, the joy of knowing that we would never be alone again?"

"Partly, but I was mostly thinking about what happened after the celebration? When we disappeared to our hotel room and didn't leave it for three straight days?"

"Oh, yes. Now I remember that. Speaking of which, my dear, where were we before we were interrupted by the happy pair of love birds?"

Josef grinned, and his eyes grew silver. His canines elongated and he leaned her head back in order to get a clear aim at her throat. "Sweetheart, allow me the honor of reminding you."

* * *

**Please, read and review. In the next chapter, the two worlds between vampire and human begin to collide when Steve and Danny team up with up none other than Mick St. John. **

**As a note, I am going to be moving this story to the regular Moonlight section, in an attempt to get a few more readers. **


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